Koraput: Work on the Rs 372-crore piped drinking water supply project is likely to start here from April.

Koraput collector K. Sudarshan Chakravarthy said: "A detailed project report has been prepared and administrative clearance for the project has been obtained. We hope to finalise the tender process within March and then the work on the project will start."

The project will ensure round-the-clock supply of safe drinking water to around 2.75 lakh people of 51 panchayats in Jeypore, Borigumma and Kotpad blocks in the district.

As part of the project, the surface water of the Muran Dam in Borigumma block will be filtered and supplied to the villagers for drinking, replacing the present method of supplying drinking water through digging bore-wells.

An official said as the ground water level was depleting with each passing year, the project would be helpful in providing safe piped water supply in rural areas.

"The project will be very helpful for the district as it is often difficult to take the bore-well digging vehicle to the hilly terrains and far-flung villages of the district," said an official of the district rural water supply and sanitation division.

Some 28 panchayats of Borigumma, 17 of Kotpad and seven of Jeypore block will be benefited by the project.

"The project was a long-standing demand of the people of this region. We had urged the state government several times to sanction the project. Now as the detailed project report has been completed and adminis-trative clearance has been obtained, we hope the work will start soon and end on time," said Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.